Rare Albino Sea Turtle Discovered In Australia

QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA - A very rare albino green sea turtle hatchling was discovered on Castaways Beach in Queensland, Australia by sea turtle conservationists with the Coolum District Coast Care Group.

Named 'Alby' by the volunteers, the young sea turtle has a white shell, white head and flippers, and pink eyes. Alby emerged from the sea turtle nest during the day - hours after the rest of its siblings had made their way to the open ocean the night before. The green sea turtle species' name derives not from the color of its shell (olive-brown with dark streaks and spots) but from the greenish color of its body fat. On average, these sea turtles weigh 300 pounds and have a shell length of 3.3 feet.

Albinism is relatively rare in sea turtles when compared to rates across the rest of the animal kingdom. Albino green sea turtles are estimated to occur once in 100,000. The odds are even greater against Alby reaching maturity.

"They're not particularly suited with colour patterns that would blend and camouflage within the environment and they're more likely to be taken by predators," Queensland's Government's Threatened Species Unit chief scientist, Dr. Col Limpus, told Australia's ABC news.